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Deadly ‘fox tapeworm’ linked to lethal disease detected in West Coast wildlife
Yahoo • • health
Key Points:
- Researchers at the University of Washington have detected the parasitic tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, or "fox tapeworm," for the first time in West Coast wildlife, finding it in 37% of coyotes sampled near Puget Sound.
- The tapeworm carries a rare but potentially deadly disease in humans called echinococcosis, which can form slow-growing cysts primarily in the liver and lungs, sometimes leading to severe complications or death if untreated.
- The coyotes carried a newer, more infectious European strain of the parasite, which has expanded its range in North America over the past 15 years from the Midwest toward the West Coast.
- While human infections remain rare and the overall risk to the public is low, experts recommend good hand hygiene, avoiding contact with wild canids, and routine veterinary care for pets to reduce exposure.
- The parasite cycles mainly between wild canids and rodents, and humans can become infected by accidentally ingesting tapeworm eggs from contaminated soil, food, or contact with infected animals.
